Samantha Bee and Lolita Davidovich join Good Dog

SAME DOG, NEW TRICKS – SHAFTESBURY, THE MOVIE NETWORK AND MOVIE CENTRAL CONFIRM CASTING AND PRODUCTION DETAILS FOR SEASON TWO OF KEN FINKLEMAN’S GOOD DOG

Samantha Bee (The Daily Show) and Lolita Davidovich (ZOS: Zone of Separation) co-star in new season

Leading creator and producer Shaftesbury, in association with Astral’s The Movie Network and Corus Entertainment’s Movie Central, today announced casting and production details for season two of Good Dog, the half-hour comedy series created, written and directed by Ken Finkleman (The Newsroom). In the second 10-episode season, Finkleman is joined by new co-stars Samantha Bee (The Daily Show with Jon Stewart, Bored to Death) and Lolita Davidovich (ZOS: Zone of Separation, The L Word). Currently in production on location in Toronto until October, season two of Good Dog will premiere on HBO Canada in 2012.

Season two of Good Dog finds neurotic TV producer George Findlay (Finkleman) once again at a crossroads in life. Ditched by his live-in girlfriend Claire (Lauren Lee Smith; The Listener) for his defiant attitude toward change and compromise, George reconnects with Virginia Hailwood (Davidovich), a socialite and trustafarian he had a fling with 20 years earlier. When presented with a challenging new opportunity by Virginia’s father, the significantly left-leaning George takes the helm of a fervent right wing TV network, where he must learn to work with a new team including the network’s wonderfully dumb morning show host, Shandy Sommers (Bee). George may not exactly think like a fundamentalist, but he’d like to think his worldview is fundamental.

Finkleman is best known as the writer, creator and producer of the International Emmy award-winning series, The Newsroom for CBC and PBS. The Good Dog season two cast also includes actress-comedian Samantha Bee, best known for her irreverently funny role as a senior correspondent on The Daily Show with Jon Stewart. Bee was recently featured on last season’s Law & Order, and has a recurring role on the new season of HBO’s Bored to Death.

Lolita Davidovich also stars as George’s privileged new girlfriend, Virginia Hailwood. Davidovich is best known for feature films such as Blaze (1989), Gods and Monsters (1998) and Play It to the Bone (1999). Davidovich also recently starred in the TV mini-series ZOS: Zone of Separation (2009). Jason Weinberg (Casino Jack, Red) returns this season as George’s best friend and new employee at the network, Doug. The first season of Good Dog premiered on HBO Canada in February 2011, and was nominated for a 2011 Gemini in the Best Comedy Program or Series category.

Created, written and directed by Finkleman, Good Dog is produced by Shaftesbury in association with The Movie Network, Movie Central and the Canada Media Fund, with the participation of the Rogers Cable Network Fund, and with the assistance of the Canadian Film or Video Production Tax Credit and the Ontario Film and Television Tax Credit. The series is executive produced by Shaftesbury’s Christina Jennings and Scott Garvie and by Ken Finkleman, and is produced by Jan Peter Meyboom for Shaftesbury. Shaftesbury Sales Company holds all international sales and distribution rights outside of Canada.